Circles of live buffer strips in a center pivot to improve multiple ecosystem services and sustainability of irrigated agriculture in the southern Great Plains

Abstract

L ife on Earth, including that of humans, depends entirely on ecosystem services. In spite of that, in the last 50 to 60 years, human activities have degraded ecosystems more rapidly than in any comparable time in human history (MEA 2005). This is happening at a time when the global population is rapidly increasing to reach nine billion and other drivers, like climate change, overexploitation and pollution of natural resources, and economic growth, are also increasing (Carpenter 2009). Therefore, innovative ideas are needed to improve ecosystem services while increasing food production. Irrigation from the Ogallala Aquifer has converted the southern Great Plains (SGP) from a dust bowl to a highly productive agricultural region. Water from the aquifer is used to irrigate over 2.6 × 106 ha (6.5 × 106 ac) in the SGP and has supported a flourishing rural economy that includes large beef and dairy industries. The water level of the aquifer is gradually decreasing because extraction exceeds recharge. In extreme cases, the water level has declined up to 84 m (277 ft) below predevelopment levels (McGuire 2007). Because of overexploitation of the Ogallala Aquifer, 35% of the irrigated acreage is expected to be rainfed in a few decades (Scanlon…